ONS Travel Corps (ONS-TC)
Office of Nursing Service (ONS) Travel Corps (ONS-TC)
Email: onstravelcorps@va.gov
NOTE: additional information for VA staff is available on the ONS Internal SP site: https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/vaons.
Travel Corps (TC) is a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) operated internal specialized supplemental staffing program whose primary mission is to provide flexible, experienced clinical staffing that supports VA Medical Centers, and ensures high-quality Veteran care.
The goals of the program are to:
- Provide staffing support for major initiatives such as Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM/FEHR);
- Support the Caregiver Support Program;
- Maintain high standards of patient care quality and safety;
- Fill critical staffing gaps across VA facilities with VA nurses;
- Reduce reliance on external contract staffing;
- Support recruitment and retention of VA clinicians;
- Contribute to national emergency preparedness efforts;
- Assist rural and underserved locations.
For additional information, please contact ONStravelcorps@va.gov or 602-921-6861
ABOUT VHA ONS TRAVEL CORPS (ONS-TC) PROGRAM
- We recruit clinical staff, who are flexible and mobile to take an assignment at any of our VA medical centers in the U.S. as well as Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- These positions are temporary, intermittent, assignment are typically a minimum of 8 weeks. Employees are required to work at least 39 weeks during the appointment year.
- Intermittent employees are not to exceed 1872 hours worked per year.
- Employees of Travel Corps are Federal employees and are not considered contractors.
- Travel Corps clinical staff may work weekends or holidays and work schedules may include 8, 10 or 12 hours shifts covering day, evening, or nighttime tours.
- Clinical staff are expected to work a minimum of 39-weeks assignments per year, based on enterprise needs.
- This program seeks clinical staff who are flexible in assignment location & shifts.
- Assignment are selected by TC Leadership with personal preferences considered on a case-by-case basis.
Requirements:
- Graduated with a degree from a program accredited by the ACEN or CCNE at time of graduation
- Travel Corps clinical staff are appointed to a temporary, intermittent appointment, not-to-exceed 1 year.
- ONS TC RNs must have at least 2 years of current clinical experience in a hospital setting (Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, Patient Aligned Care Teams, Critical Care, Medical Surgical, Acute Mental Health, Operating Room, Oncology/Infusion, Dialysis, Community Living Center)
- Travel Corps clinical staff receive a government travel card to pay expenses.
- Lodging and per diem are based on geographic location of assignment and long-term travel rates (reduced to 55%).
- See: http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104877 receive overtime, differentials, and premium pay in accordance with VA pay regulations
- Travel Corps clinical staff receive 10% differential for hours worked between 6pm-6am
- Travel Corps clinical staff receive 25% differential for hours worked on weekends.
- Federal Employee Health Benefits are offered as outlined below*.
*Federal intermittent employees who are expected to work 130 hours per month or more for at least 90 days will be eligible to enroll in a Federal Employees Health Benefit plan (FEHB), but are not entitled to paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, thrift savings plan, or participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System (VA transfers keep Dental/Vision, TSP and FERS).
For FEHB plan and premium information, please visit the Office of Personnel Management website at: https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/healthcare/plan-information/
HOW TO APPLY TO VHA ONS TRAVEL CORPS
Please email documents to: onstravelcorps@va.gov
- Resume (must match application with addendum)
- Nursing License (full practice)
- Specialty Certifications (if applicable)
- BLS/ACLS Card (from American Heart Association)
- Evaluations/proficiencies/ECF
- Reference List (please be prepared to provide 1 to 3 references within 48 hours of interview)
- Current and previous federal employees: last SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action listing grade/step
Resume format
Your resume should include all education and work experience from date of first nursing education listed with most recent experience first. Please list the dates of completion on your education and type of degree achieved in this format mm/dd/yy. Work history dates should be in this format: mm/dd/yy to mm/dd/yy. Separate Part-Time and Full-Time work history. Indicate how many hours per week you work in part-time jobs. Clearly indicate what specialty/department you work(ed) in, separate different positions/departments/travel assignments within the same facility/agency. List education, certifications, professional activities, accomplishments, honors/awards, professional memberships, offices held, academic appointments, etc. The preferred format is Word, second PDF. Please do not send picture images.
Self-Assessment: (applies to non-VA)
IMPORTANT VA/FED TRANSFER INFORMATION
- NO Leave benefits. AL is paid out when you transfer, SL remains in storage for retirement or if you return to a permanent position.
- Temporary-Intermittent appointment means you are on a ONE-year appointment.
- Appointment extensions are based on the needs of the VA.
- You can only work 1872 hours a year.
- Retirement, Promotions and Periodic Step Increases are pro-rated (you only get credit for actual time work) therefore it takes longer to obtain than in a permanent position.
- TSP is matched but you can only contribute to while on paid status.
- FEGLI is reduced.
- To return to a full-time federal position, you must apply and be accepted at that facility/agency.
- This program may be restructured or discontinued if directed by the VA Modernization efforts.
